Method of and means for loading ammunition containers



METHOD oF AND MEANS FOR LOADING AMMUNIfrIoN coNTAINERsc. H. A. HARTLEY.

Filed April 3, 1942 NVENTOR.'

cRoYDoN H. A. HARTLEx'-,

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AHORA/Ex Patented Oct. 16, 1945 Unire :sur:

METHOD or `msu) MEANS .Fort `1,L ).DI1\TG AMMUNrrIoN CoN'rAINERsporation ofDelaWal-e Claims.

invention relatesto limprovements in apparatuses :for feedingfinachineguns or cannon of military aircraft Iand refers imore specially vto animproved ammunition `container rvand to ja new method andn'ew fmeafnsforloading this container.

This method{ai-ms'at overcoming the structural and aerodynamic-diicul'ties arising from 'the ever increasing number of machine guns'orcannon mounted in jairplanes#andv the Vcommensurate quantity ofammunition therefor, Yrequired -to be carried Yinside the-stressed skinstructures of aircraft.

-'A'lthough Athe problem fis often -acute inl 'fuse'- lages and Anacelles, it Vpresents the greatest diihculties when 'applied "to wing'construction.

One objeo't of the Vinvention is therefore :to provide lan ammunitioncontainer capable'o'i lfeedingY several wing guns 'or cannon and 2vvliich ca ,n bebu'ilt within -the wing of; -an aircraft withoutsubstantially 'weakeningthe structural strength of this'wing, though the*basic principle ofthe invention -c'a'n 'be applied equally 'well toammunition containers located in any other stressed skin component ofthe airplane.

Anotherfeature of the invention is to utilize 'al-stressed -skinstructure Vof theaircraft, such as the top covering of a wing, to formthe xed cover of an 'ammunition container.

yAlfurthe'r feature is -to provide removable Aloading means which 'canbe readily associated with thefammunition container only at the time ofloading, can be conveniently operated, on the ground, so as to vvgive aquick and accurate loading'and .can be quick-ly removed 'or stowedwithin the gun bay of the wing after loading so as notto interfere withthe iflight of theairpl'ane andthe operation of the gun orcannon-feeding mechanism.

A further feature consists in -subdividing the container chordwi'se, bymea-ns of the spars of thewing, into as many longitudinal boxes aslthere are guns 'or cannon in each wing, each of these individual boxesbeing entirely closed, except for arelatively nariow entrance fslotprovided -near the top of a wingrrib, Vwhiclfi forms a 4partitionbetweentheeontainer and the `gun bay'and being in'Y turn 'subdividedspanwise into substantially square compartments fby the vother ribs ofsaid wing, slots being likewise provided in these ribs so -to form a'horizontal` loading passageway for the cartridge belt, extendingalongthe entire length of each box immediately below the fixed cover-f'or'med by the-wing upper double skin.

Another feature resides-in providing sliding meansinsertablebetweenthese slots and spanning the gaps therebetween to support the'be1t along thisfeedway during the loading operation,

Still ,another feature consists in providing bafliesor deflectors underthe'antiefriction rollers which are usually provided along this feedw'ayin order ,to minimize the'drag on the belt during feeding, theseibalilespreventing jamming of the belt undertlicse-rollers. v y

Other useful "features of thfe invention Wil1fbecome apparent fromthekreading ofthe following description made fin `reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 `is a -fra'gmentary longitudinalsection of the left wing of a vn'iilitary,aircrafty showing an4emb,odinie'rit of the present invention in' conjunction with` Vtheseveral compartmentsloffasinglecontainer. Fig ure 2 is a similar viewshowing the vloading 'dei vice removed Aand one Abox of the ammunitioncontainer operatively connected to algun. M'Figurev 3 is a fragmentaryside elevation taken .on the-lineS-B of Figure -1. l

In ,this drawing,` Va' conventional V.wing ,construction isshownconsisting,of a double, top Ycovering or skin a, any Anumber 'of'sparsi b and eitherso'lid or` trussribsxc at vany 'convenientfspacing.into this structure is built an ammunition container extendinglspzu'iwise; along the wing and vsubdivided into a series oflongitudinal y juxtaposed boxes by the s'pars b themselves, each ofthese boxes feeding one vof the `guns or cannon of this wing. Each ofthese'individual boxes V'isrentire'ly closedby the structural parts a,b, c andthe bottom skin d of the wing, except for a' relatively small4horizon-tal slot iprovided near vthe 'top of the rib -c-II which ribconstitutes 'a partitionbetween the ammunition Vcontainer-"and thegunbayje. The length of this slot lis only slightly greater than that ofthe cartridgejto 'be used'and the height is about one-half inch-` morethan the diamet'ero'fthiscartridge; Each of these boxes is fin turnsubdivided yspanwise into substantially square compartments 't0 bytheother ribs c of the Wing, slots being likewise provided inthese ribsunder the cover a so las to 'forml'a horizontal loading feedway for thecartridge belt f.' This' feedway extends along the 'entire length ofeach individual box immediately below the fixed cover formed bythe lowerskin ca ofthe'double topco'ver-ing a ofthe wing.

Astrong outstanding flange I2, projecting about one inch' into the gunbaye, is made integral with lthe U channelil, bracing thetwo skins oi'the lcover' d above the rib "ci-I.. The lower surface of the bottom skina-I forms ajsm'ooth.

' stiff and continuous insidetop surface, flush with the top of thealigned slots in the ribs c and c-I. This flush horizontal surfacekforms the top of the feedway previously mentioned, while the two spars bconstituting the side walls of the box, form also the sides of thefeedway. This feedway is normally bottomless, but at the time oftheloading, a loading track I3, made of hinged sections, is insertedinto the aligned slots so as to `bridge the gaps between the ribs c,c-I, and form the bottom of the feedway.

This insertion is facilitated by anti-friction rollers 14, carried onshafts I5, journalled in brackets I6l and forming part of thereinforcing structure of the ribs c, c-I, around the slots.

Besides this loading track I3, the removable loading equipment of thenew ammunition container according to the present invention includesalso a loading tool consisting of apair of star sprocket wheels I'I,tted to the calibre of the ammunition to be used and a crank and driveI8 positioned so as to be clear of surrounding interferences and todrive the star Wheels. The star Wheels I'I are mounted on a frame I9made integral with a lateral clamp 20 for attaching the loading tool tothe flange I2 above the entrance slot of the box to be loaded. Acounter2l, provided with reset Wheel 22 calibrated to indicate thenumber of cartridges passing under the star wheels I1 can beincorporated in this tool assembly. After loading one box, this tool caneither be shifted along the flange I2 to the next empty compartment orcan be stowed in the gun bay e. v

The loading track I3 is an elongated platform made preferably ofstainless steel and with downturned edges, on which the ammunition beltcan be fed through the slots into the otherwise closed compartments I0.After loading, this track is Withdrawn, folded and likewise stowed inthe gun bay e.

On each shaft I is mounted a second roller 23 of slightlylarger diameterthan the rollers I 4 and the function of which will become apparentlater. -If desired, above each compartment I0 inlthe double top coveringa of the wing, there may be provided an emergency service opening,normally closable by a double stopper or plug 24 screwed or bolted to a.reinforced rim L25 of the covering a so as to be ush with both the outerskin of the Wing and the top a-I of the feedway.- However, the presenceof this structure is not mandatory andV is suggested merely to meetpossible contingencies. Y

Care is exercised in the design and construction of the structural partsayb, c, d of the Wings, of theseplugs 24 and of the track |3,`so thatprojections and irregularities inside the box and along the feedway willbe avoided. Y

It will be noted that the ammunition container of the present inventionforms thus a rigid cellular structure and that the absenceof the usualhinged cover avoids surface irregularities in the path of thehighspeedairi'low. v

In loading the box, the cover door (not shown) over the gun is firstremoved. This cover does not needv to :be larger than is requiredWhen'an ordinary ammunition container is used. vThen the usual feedchute i bridging the gap between a box feedway and the corresponding'gun h is removed, and the loading track I3 is inserted through thesuccessive slots in the ribs c-I, c until the end inside the box ishalf-way through the last compartment I0. A stop (not shown) is providedto stop the track at this point. The loading tool I9 is then clamped tothe ledge I2 above the slot in the rib c--I in such a position that thestar wheels I'I of this tool will drive the ammunition belt .f smoothlydown the loading track I3. The box is now ready for loading.

The ammunition belt f, made up to the required length, is then broughtto the wing and placed on top of the Wing on the opposite side of thegun h from the ammunition box. (For carrying the belt to the airplaneand holding it while the box is loaded, a convenient carrier isprovided.) One end of the belt f is laid on the end of the loading trackI3 which. projects from the box feedway. The belt is then fed by handinto the star Wheels of the loading tool. The belt is then cranked intothe box by means of this tool until resistance on the handle I8indicates that the belt, after having traveled the full length of theloading track I3; fills the last compartment ofthe box.

The loading track is then slowly withdrawn by hand, keeping pressurewith the other hand on the loading crank in order to prevent'backwardmotion ofthe belt. As soon as a suicient-gap has thus been created bythis withdrawal between the end of the .track and the last slot, toAallow for -free fall of the unsupportedpart ofthe belt into the next tolast compartmentLthe belt will resume its fall into this latter, untilthis compartment is in turnlled. A A

This process is continued, withdrawing the track only as neededjto keepthe belt moving into the box along the track and filling thecompartments one after the other. Markings (not shown)l on the track toindicate -when its inner end reaches a slot and when it is half-way downa compartment are provided as an aid in efficient loading, and, if thesemarks are labeledwith the corresponding number of rounds, then referenceto these numbers in conjunction with the counter 2| will constitute aconvenient guide to determine the proper speed at which to-withdraw theloading track. Sections of the loading track may-beremoved as the trackis withdrawn ifthis is found desirable for clearance. 'i

When the track I3 has been fully withdrawn and the box fully loaded, theloading tool I9 is removed and the feed chute i is replaced, the end ofthe ammunition belt extending from the box being slipped into the chutebefore bringing the latter into position. The belt is then'fed into thegun in the conventionalmanner, except that the-brackets I6 act, duringthis feeding operation, as bailles or deflectors to prevent a jam' mingof the belt under the rollers I4, 23.

Though the compartments 'I0' are normally entirely closed, except forthe' narrow slots in the ribsvc, c-I formingthe feedway, inVv caseA of'emergency, each plug 24 may readily be unscrewed and removed to giveaccess to the interior of any compartment when a link of the belt breakswithin the compartment during the feeding operation. f'

26 vindicates projections at the entrance of the feedway to index theloading track. l

The structure herein shownfand described-is illustrative of only onepractical application of the invention and it is to be understood'thatvarious modifications may beresorted to Within' the scope of theappended'claims.

Having thus disclosed my invention and one mode of constructing andvusing same, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United StatesLetters Patent is:

1. In anY aircraft: stress-taking structural members thereof defining acontainer vclosed on all sides and having a series'of compartmentsprovided withalignedaperturesin :itheir'side' walls,

:removable :means ipassing yfthro'ugh said apertures to 'bridge allfexcept .the .compartment Lait one end `of the series lan'diconstrncted.to'guidea chain -of VVarticles :into said compartments, Yand Vmeanspositioned :adjacent lthe compartment. at the' iother end ofsaid-.series for ffeedingfsaidichainof artr- :cles along said guidingmeans.

2. In an aircraft: structural .memberssconstituting :integral members ofthe aircraft-structure and defining a container closed on all sides andwherein some of said structural members constitute spaced partitionssubdividing said container into a series of compartments, said containerhaving aligned slots in one end thereof and in each interior partition,a removable guide extending through said slots to bridge the severalcompartments for directing a chain of articles initially into thecompartment most remote from the slotted end of the container andsuccessively to the remaining compartments upon positioning of the guidefor cooperation therewith, and means adjacent the slotted container endfor feeding the chain of articles'along said guide.

3. In an aircraft: longitudinal and transverse structural membersconstituting integral members of the aircraft-structure and defining aclosed container wherein some of said transverse structural membersconstitute spaced partitions subdividing said container into a series ofcompartments, said container having aligned apertures in one end-walland in each internal partition, a removable chute extending through saidapertures to form a temporary feedway for a chain of articles over allcompartments except the one most remote from the said slotted endwall ofthe container, means whereby the chute may be shifted successively fromone compartment to the next adjacent compartment, and means for feedingsaid chain along said chute regardless of its position with respect tothe several compartments.

4. In an aircraft: longitudinal and transverse structural membersconstituting integral members of the aircraft-structure and defining aclosed container and wherein some of said structural members constitutethe end walls of the container and spaced partitions subdividing saidcontainer into a series of compartments, said container having alignedapertures in one end wall and in each partition, a removable chute eX-tending through said apertures to form a temporary feedway for a chainof articles over and through all of said compartments except the onemost remote from the slotted end wall, means whereby the chute may beshifted to successiveh7 cooperate with each compartment, and a rotaryfeeding wheel detachably secured adjacent the slotted end Wall of saidcontainer over a projecting end of said chute for driving said chain ofarticles along said chute and successively into said compartments,beginning with the compartment most remote from said wheel.

5. In an aircraft wing the combination with a container for a chain ofarticles defined by the spars and ribs of the wing structure, said ribsdividing the container into a series of compartments, of a feedwaypassing through said compartments and constructed and arranged to beremovable therefrom step by step to temporarily bridge over saidcompartments and to successively guide said chain of articles into therespective compartments aforesaid.

6. The combination with a horizontal container jforfa chain of articlesdeiinedby .the sparsio'f `an aircraft wing .andidivided intovcompartments by the ribs sofl said '.win'g, ssaid :ribs 'h aving :slots:there- 'inan'dthe :container rand its compartments `being .inaccessiblefattopybottom,- sides and ends except `forthe .slots in thelribs, .of 1a'feedwa-y constructed .and-.arrangedto be'removab'le step-'by-step andpassing 'through .saidxslots 'to :temporz-nily bridge said; compartmentsYand successively guide said chainl of ar'tic'les towardfone kof ithe'.comparltments, and a rotary chain-feeder means located adjoining oneend of said container and of said feedway for urging the said chain ofarticles along said feedway to successively fill the severalcompartments beginning with that most remote from said feeder means.

'7. The combination with an aircraft wing having longitudinal spars anda gun bay, of a series of spaced transverse partitions within the wingcombining with the skin and spars thereof to create a series of closedcompartments extending spanwise of the Wing from one side of the gunbay, all of said partitions with the exception of the one most remotefrom the gun bay being provided.with slots adjoining their upper edges,a guide removably inserted in said slots from a point adjacent the gunbay to terminate within the compartment most remote from the gun bay,means for impelling a succession of connected articles along said guidefor delivery to the compartment most remote from the gun bay, and meansfor withdrawing the guide from under said connected articles in a seriesof steps to successively position its inner end in cooperation with theseveral compartments.

8. The combination with an aircraft wing having a gun bay andlongitudinal spars, of spaced transverse ribs disposed between the topand bottom skins of the wing and combining with the spars to create aseries of compartments situated spanwise of the Wing at one side of thegun bay, each of said ribs, excepting that most remote from the gun bay,havin-g a slot therein adjoining the top skin of the wing, said slotsaligning longitudinally of the wing, a track inserted in said slots andextending through the several compartments and terminating within thecompartment most remote from the gun bay and constructed and arrangedfor periodic Withdrawal to successively terminate in each compartment,and means adjoining said gun bay and the next adjacent compartment forimpelling a succession of articles along said track for delivery intoeach compartment in which said track terminates.

9. The combination with an aircraft wing having a gun bay andlongitudinal spars, of spaced transverse ribs disposed between the topand bottom skins of the wing and combining with the spars to create aseries of compartments disposed at one side of the gun bay, each of saidribs, excepting that most remote from the gun bay, having a slot thereinadjoining the top skin of the Wing, said slots aligning longitudinallyof the wing, a track composed of a series of hinged sections insertedthrough said slots and the several compartments to terminate within thecompartment most remote from the gun bay, said track being constructedand arranged to be removable to position its inner extremitysuccessively within each of the several compartments, and means forimpelling an interconnected series of articles along said track fordelivery to the successive compartments within which said trackterminates.

10. The combination with an aircraft wing having a gun bay andlongitudinal spars, of spaced transverse ribs disposed between the topand bottom skins of the Wing and combining with the spars to create aseries of compartments extending spanwise of the Wing at one side of thegun bay, each of said ribs, excepting that most remote from the gun bay,having a slot therein adjoining the top skin of the wing, said slotsaligning longitudinally of the wing, a track composed of a series ofhinged sections inserted through said slots 10 and the severalcompartments to terminate within the compartment most remote from thegun bay and movable to position the inner extremity thereof successivelywithin each of the several compartments, and a star feed wheel removablymounted on the Wing `for impelling an ammunition belt along said trackfor delivery to the successive compartments wherein the end of the trackis situated.

CROYDON H. A. HAR'I'LEY.

